Rhyme and Reason
by Kitsune Swift
Summary: While at an air show with her family, Judy is curious why that jet is parked so... weird. This idea was so random...


_**A/N : Ok, so I have to explain this random off the wall fic. It is a one shot, that can potentially be thrown together into a story, if anyone is interested. The motivation behind it?**_

_**I have hit a small writer's block with Chance Immortal, and so I was running through fics with Starscream in them in search when I found a strange pairing of names, though it wasn't focused just on them, it got the wheels turning. Judy Witwicky and Starscream. Of course, at the thought of the two meeting, I thought of Black Dragon Queen's Cover Me story and the relationship between Judy and Barricade. I also wondered what would bring the occasion for these two to meet, and came up with an Air Show idea I'd seen in Salty.'s Shattered. **_

_**I realize Starscream would probably destroy a human for the boldness and randomness Judy shows here, so please excuse the random and ooc-ness. I like the lightly nicer Screamer anyway. I honestly adored the Starscream in Armada, and so I seem to try and make him nicer, despite my addiction to writing with G1 and movie aspects. Anyway, on to the show!**_

Judy Witwicky was not one to overlook peculiarities. Sure, she acted naive and a bit blond, but that was just a side affect of growing older and living with a teenager and his car from outer space. How was she supposed to keep up with all the new lingo and such? It was difficult when Sam had started high school. It turned out all weird after he started driving. She didn't want to think about college, and the developing relationship between him and Mikaela.

So, because she was such a spot for out of normal details, she knew right away when she approached the jet at the air show her husband had brought her family too, was not normal. It looked like any other jet at the show with its gleaming silver color, official marks and various personnel about it. But she noticed the way it was parked was... strange. It was parked normally, within all of the lines and facing its designated direction, it was just, sitting differently than the other F-22s.

It had a tilt to it. The front wheel support was taller than others, pointing the nose cone higher in the air. She couldn't help but wonder if the jet had a bit of a pride complex. She figured this was another alien, as it had the same sort of feel to it the cammero did.

Looking around, she noticed her son and his girlfriend had wandered off toward the flashy looking blue and orange jet not far off and Ron was seen walking toward the concession stands. Shrugging to herself, she moved closer to the silver F-22, curious if it would talk to her. She wasn't known for talking to the Auto-aliens. She had in fact, thrown a small fit at learning of their existence, but this jet was piquing her curiosity, though why she wasn't quite sure.

She moved close to it, avoiding the personnel who were beginning to move away from the jet, having finished its prep. "Hey there," she said with confidence, even going so far as to poke the underside of the nose cone. She fought the urge to pout when she didn't receive a response. "Hey, uh, having fun out here? Sure are a lot of people walking around." Still no response. She huffed a small sigh, stroking the silver metal the way she'd watched Sam do with the car.

"Alright, I guess I shouldn't blow your cover. Though, if you're hiding, you should lower your front a bit. Your up a bit too tall for a normal jet. Someone's going to notice, and hell will break loose I'm sure," she said, turning away to catch up with her family. Perhaps she was starting to go senile? Nah, she was still too young for that, surely. She was about to take a step when she heard the sound of metal on metal. Turning back, she noticed the jet was slightly lower to the ground and she let out a knowing smile and patted the jet gently. "That's better, now you won't be caught."

"Why are speaking to me?" a metalic voice asked, too quiet for anyone else but her to hear. She jumped at it, having not expected the jet to speak, much less sounding so grainy. The other aliens were strange sounding, but this one sounded gruff and strained. She glanced around, looking for anyone who might over hear them speaking. It was weird to think the rest of the world was in the dark about the aliens who'd been suddenly thrown into her life, even if she hardly interacted with them.

"Well, did you want to be caught? I was just pointing it out," she said simply. "I honestly don't know why I came over here. I don't even like planes. I just happened to see you were a bit higher off the ground than the others, and I knew what you were. You're hiding, so I figured I'd help you."

"Why would you help me human?" the voice sounded distrustful and wary. She couldn't help feel sorry for the thing. To be constantly on guard was a fate that she would wish only on the terrorists.

"I don't know," she answered truthfully. "I guess I'm building up some good karma mumbo jumbo."

There was silence for a moment and she wondered if the conversation was over. "Karma? Mumbo jumbo? Explain this human. What is Karma mumbo jumbo?"

Judy nearly laughed outright, instead, she gazed at the jet with wide eyes, amusement barely concealed, "Oh my god, are you joking? Karma is a form of good will, and well, mumbo jumbo is slang for hocus pocus."

"What is hocus pocus?" the jet sounded rather annoyed. Judy couldn't help the snort of laughter that escaped her. She got the feeling she was being glared at by the F-22 and that made her snort again in more amusement. What would her son say when she told him she had a conversation with a jet about hocus pocus and mumbo jumbo? Well, perhaps Sam wouldn't see the humor, as he had his car to discuss the same topics too, but it was immensely amusing to her.

"Magic," she said, trying to keep her voice down. Other people were walking by the jet, giving her weird looks when they noticed her standing so close, but she wasn't really paying much attention to them at this point. So long as they didn't move to close to her and the jet, she wouldn't think anything of them.

An almost human sounding sigh came from the jet, "And just what, pray tell, is magic?"

"Really?" she asked, holding her sides in an effort to keep them from cramping. "It's something that can't be explained. Something that just happens, without rhyme or reason. I'm assuming you want me to explain "rhyme and reason" as well, correct?"

"You catch on fast human. The words don't have much to do with each other, and yet you use them as if they are detrimental to each other in the sentence you uttered," the amused tone in the voice made Judy wonder if the jet already knew the answers and was testing her.

"Rhyme and reason is a saying. It basically means probable cause."

"I see. Tell me human, what is the meaning of the sentence, "Never look a gift horse in the mouth?" Judy felt her jaw nearly drop. It had been one thing to explain the words she used, now the jet was pulling them out of nowhere? So, the game was on.

"Don't take opportunity for granted," she said quickly. The jet was going to make her think. She glanced around again, checking for anyone coming to close. As much as she didn't want too, she really should think about leaving to catch up with Sam and Ron... or even Mikaela. They'd probably start to wonder if she'd found more trouble to get in. Trying to end the conversation quickly, she threw in, "Don't you guys have access to the internet? I'm surprised you're not already aware of all of this!"

The jet seemed to twitch slightly before her. "I can access your internet at any time. I merely get enjoyment questioning your pathetic race about such meaningless fodder." And something about his delivery made her laugh outright. He said it so perfectly! His tone was just the perfect mix of mocking, honesty and sarcasm. She honestly couldn't tell if he was being serious or not.

"Right, well, I have to go find my son before he gets into trouble," Judy stated with a light pat to the nose cone. "It's been interesting." She heard the jet huff.

"I haven't dismissed you from my sight human," he stated, and she gave the jet a strange look. It twitched once more and raised up on the front wheel again. Judy rolled her eyes in response, wondering what it was doing. Did it want to be caught?

"I leave whenever I feel like," she stated, quirking a brow.

The smug tone that responded threw her off, "Then why haven't you left yet?" She glared, making sure her amusement was visible before she turned and began walking off. She swore she heard the jet chuckle in response.

She found Ron fairly easily. He was eating a rather greasy looking corndog and staring at an F-16 fighter jet rather longingly. The kids were a bit harder to find, having moved to the other side of things, looking at some old fashion wheat plane, apparently having picked up Miles at some point. She almost wanted to just leave them to their own devices, but she figured she had a reputation to uphold. She was known as many things, and party pooper was one of them.

"Judy, let 'em have their fun," Ron said and she ignored him. She wanted too. Really. But why change her ways at this stage in life? Besides, after the strange conversation with the jet, she was feeling rather, playful. This was the perfect opportunity to sneak up behind them and scare the crap out of them. She figured it was worth a laugh.

She didn't really have to try to hard to sneak behind them. They were too busy chatting away and pointing at each other to really notice. She took a quiet breath and moved her hands first to Miles' and Mikaela's sides and aimed carefully. Then with a sharp sting, she pinched lightly a few times, knowing both were quite ticklish there. As they screamed and jumped, attempting to get away, her hands were already moving to her son's own sides as he panicked and watched the other two dance away from him. He had absolutely no chance.

He was down to the floor in a moment's notice, not even realizing it was Judy who was tickling him. He was thrashing, trying to get her off, and she ducked one of his arms as she continued her assault. She could hear the disbelieving laughter of her husband and Sam's friends, and she could hear the still panicked sound her son was making through his unwilling laughter. When she finally let off and allowed Sam to breath, she laughed at his red faced, shocked expression.

"Wow, you sure got them good Judy," Ron stated, and she grinned, bowing slightly. Miles laughed as well, helping Sam up.

"Mrs. Witwicky may be known as many things, but we can officially add that she is the best at the following. Stalking her son and his friends; Stealth; Method of attack; Speed; and finally, bravery in accomplishing her mission against three teenagers with only her own two hands!" he laughed. Sam growled, his face turning bright red and Judy merely smiled at him, feeling accomplished.

They stayed a while longer, but soon were on their way out. One last stop at the concessions and the restrooms left Judy by herself once more and she wandered over to the silver F-22 not far off. He spoke first, "I hear you have been commended for an award of bravery and valor." She laughed, nodding slightly, wondering how he'd heard of that when they'd been so far off. "Well, I second the agreement, human. You are definitely one brave human. You have approached me not once, but twice. Feel honored."

Judy smiled lightly, "I do. I assume you're one of the other side then?" It was a question she knew the answer too. He had to have been one of the opposing forces. She'd never heard of a flier in the ranks of the one's her son was affiliated. She didn't quite know how she felt about having a conversation with the supposed bad guy...

"Of course. Decepticon to the bitter end," the jet stated simply, though she swore there was bitterness in the tone used. She saw the small twitch of the wings.

"Hmm, I see," she responded. "Well, in case we ever meet again, my name is Judy. I do hope you don't try to blow up my son..." She hadn't meant for her sentence to sound quite so nonchalant...

"If he is not in the wrong place at the wrong time, I will not. I can't guarantee much other than that." He said it in the same tone as her. She nodded stiffly, turning to move back toward where her family was most likely waiting. "Human?" she stopped, staring back at the F-22. A ripple went through the metal sheets covering the body, giving the appearance of a cat with its fur on end. It ended in the blink of an eye. "Designation; Starscream. Perhaps, we will meet again one day, and I expect you to address me as Lord."

"Starscream," was all she said. After all, his tone was sarcastic and joking with the last bit of his words. With that, she walked off once more, collecting her family and leaving quietly.

It wasn't until they had been home for a few hours that she dropped a hint about what she'd done earlier in the day. She had merely joked that she'd had the most interesting conversation with the silver F-22 they'd passed earlier in the day about things like "magic". Sam was not as amused as she'd been.

"That is so not even funny mom, really. An F-22 carrying a conversation with you is disturbing and I don't even want to think about it." Judy merely shrugged, looking out the window with a knowing smile on her face as she gazed at the sky. Maybe one day it would be amusing to him.

Maybe one day.

_**S/N : So yeah. I apologize. The time line jumps a bunch and doesn't quite flow right. I'm not fond of the ending either... Help would be appreciated. Let me know if you want to see more of this story line. I'm not sure on it myself, and considering I have Chance Immortal to finish and Change of Character to develope and such, I dunno if I'll do anything with it... but lemme know!**_


End file.
